The time has come, with history beckoning in the Australian Open women’s final to be played at Melbourne Park on Saturday night AEDT.
Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys have taken contrasting but notable paths to reach the final of this year’s Australian Open.
Sabalenka came through the draw with dominant performances, highlighted by a straight-set semi-final victory over Paula Badosa.
Her journey included wins against Sloane Stephens, Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Clara Tauson, Mirra Andreeva and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
On the other hand, Keys showed resilience and determination, saving a match point in her thrilling three-set semi-final victory against world number one Iga Swiatek.
Along the way, Keys defeated Ann Li, Elena-Gabriela Ruse, Danielle Collins, Elena Rybakina and Elina Svitolina in what has been a valiant campaign.
Aryna Sabalenka and Madison Keys to meet in Australian Open women’s singles final
How to watch, follow and stream:
- Who: Aryna Sabalenka vs Madison Keys
- What: Australian Open women’s singles final
- Where: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia
- When: 7:30pm AEDT, Saturday
How to watch:
- Australia – Watch live on Channel Nine and stream on 9Now.
- UK: Tune into Eurosport or stream on the Discovery+ platform.
- United States: Watch the action on ESPN or stream it on ESPN+.
Head to head matches:

Sabalenka will look to make history after making her way into the draw

Keys had to go a little harder and is in the wrong ledger, but he will look to challenge those numbers.
Keys and Sabalenka have met five times before, with the Belarusian winning four of them. Their most recent clash was on hard courts in Beijing last year, and Sabalenka won. Keys’ only victory came on grass in Berlin in 2021.
Head to head matches:
- 2024 – Beijing, 4th round – Sabalenka won 6-4, 6-3
- 2023 – US Open, Semifinal – Sabalenka won 0-6, 7-6(1), 7-6(5)
- 2023 – Wimbledon, Quarterfinals – Sabalenka won 6-2, 6-4
- 2021 – Berlin, 2nd round – Keys won 6-4, 1-6, 7-5
- 2018 – Cincinnati, Quarterfinals – Sabalenka won 6-3, 6-4
Sabalenka acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, “He’s playing incredible tennis.” She is a very aggressive player, serves well and moves well. She is in great shape. It’s going to be a great battle. We had many great battles in the past.”
Sabalenka’s search for history

Sabalenka won the Australian Open in 2024 and is arguably in better shape this time around
Sabalenka, the defending champion, was described by semi-finalist Paula Badosa as playing “like she was on a PlayStation” after her dominant straight-set victory. She is currently on a 20-match winning streak on the hard courts of Melbourne and is aiming to secure a historic treble, a feat Martina Hingis last achieved in 1999.
Aryna Sabalenka’s path to the final:
- Semifinal: beat (11) Paula Badosa (ESP) 6-4, 6-2
- Quarterfinals: beat (27) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-2, 2-6, 6-3
- Round of 16: defeated (15) Mirra Andreeva 6-1, 6-2
- Third round: defeated Clara Tauson (DEN) 7-6(5), 6-4
- Second round: defeated Jessica Bouzas Maneiro (ESP) 6-3, 7-5
- First round: defeated Sloane Stephens (USA) 6-3, 6-2
A victory would make Sabalenka the first woman to win three consecutive Australian Open titles in the 21st century. Only five women have achieved it in the Open Era: Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Hingis.
Madison Keys’ Grand Slam Journey

Keys missed her first chance to win a Grand Slam title and will look to make amends for that.
For Madison Keys, this is her second Grand Slam final, the first being a loss to Sloane Stephens at the 2017 US Open. Reflecting on that experience, Keys said: “I was so consumed by the nerves and the moment that I never thought about it.” opportunity to play.” I learned that it is okay to feel uncomfortable and still play tennis.”
Madison Keys’ path to the final:
- Semifinal: beat (2) Iga Swiatek (POL) 5-7, 6-1, 7-6(8)
- Quarterfinals: beat (28) Elina Svitolina (UKR) 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
- Round of 16: beat (6) Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3
- Third round: defeated (10) Danielle Collins (USA) 6-4, 6-4
- Second round: defeated (Q) Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) 7-6(1), 2-6, 7-5
- First round: beat Ann Li (USA) 6-4, 7-5
Keys has shown incredible resilience, saving one match point and eight break points in her semi-final against Iga Swiatek, which culminated in a 10-point tiebreak victory. She reaches the final with a streak of 11 consecutive victories and is ready to re-enter the top 10 of the rankings for the first time since 2019.
How they match:
Both players have similar powerful playing styles, characterized by serves and aggressive forehands. The 6-foot-tall Sabalenka has been the poster child for controlled aggression, which Keys has openly admired.
“I’ve always been impressed with how she trusts her game and goes after it,” Keys said. “I’ve worked to emulate that mentality, especially in big moments.”
Sabalenka remembers her most memorable encounter in the 2023 US Open semi-final, where Keys led 6-0, 5-3 but ultimately lost.
“It felt like she was just trying her shots, and everything was going in. I saw it and thought, ‘Now’s the time to make sure you return as many balls as you can.'”
What is at stake?
The Australian Open prize pool is $59.8 million, a 12 percent increase from 2024. The women’s singles champion will receive $2.16 million and the runner-up will win $1.17 million.
A victory for Keys would make her the first player to defeat the world’s two top-ranked women at a Grand Slam since Svetlana Kuznetsova at Roland Garros in 2009. It would also be her first Grand Slam title.
For Sabalenka, it’s about cementing her legacy as one of the game’s greats and continuing her dominance on the blue hard courts of Melbourne.